How to Course-Correct When You Screw Up at Money

The great thing about advice is that before you implement it, it's always perfect. You don't have to deal with messy mistakes or embarrassing clean-up while it's still in your head. But once you put that advice into practice, there's forever the chance that you'll do something wrong.

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One day, it's going to happen to you, no matter how meticulous you are — and it's nothing to be ashamed of. Pobody's nerfect. What you do after you catch the error, though, makes all the difference.

Financial planner Eric Roberge knows all about screwing up. You don't get to be an expert without understanding how to fix your mistakes. He recently gave Business Insiderfour crucial tips for managing the aftermath of a financial fumble. Three of them, it turns out, are all in your head.

First, once you've realized your mistake, allow yourself to experience discomfort without beating yourself up for the error. Research shows that the best way to learn from your mistakes is to feel your feelings, so be both honest and compassionate with yourself. At the same time, own up to what happened and your role in it. Without examining what you did, you won't grow and you might repeat the mistake later.

Once you've gotten through the emotional parts, now you'll want to tackle the logistics. After you've committed to a course correction, follow through with your plan. Whether this applies to a missed credit card payment or a complicated debt structure, you've got the tools to straighten out what anyone could fumble.